Re: st: Match merge with message _merge=3 and _merge=5 ?

[David Kantor <kantor.d@att.net>]

At 03:50 AM 11/10/2008, Pascal wrote:
> Hello Statausers,
>
> I have the problem that merging two datasets where the matches based
> in the identifier ought to merge, as the identifier is identical in
> the master and using dataset, some observations merge with _merge=3
> and others with _merge=5 do not.
>
> What could be the problem that the master data is disagreeing (_merge=5)?
>
> Kind regards
>
> Pascal Stock

Presumably, you are merging with match variables -- your identifier 
(or what some might call key variables). If you get _merge to be 3 or 
5 (or 4), then the observations have matched on these key variables. 
But you are also using the -update- option; that's the only way to 
get _merge == 4 or 5. The value 5 is telling you that there is a 
disagreement on the *other* variables -- the non-key variables.

HTH
--David

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